A64 and DDR2

[revan]

Heres my query: Would it require a core alteration from AMD or a chipset alteration from nVidia or Via to incorporate the new memory standard?

 

[shadow74205]

AMD would need to redesign the onboard memory controller for the A64 to support DDR-2. I do believe that AMD did design the onboard memory controller so that it could be turned off and have the processor function in the traditional sense in that the memory support was provided by the Northbridge. Why anybody would want to do this is beyond me given the advantages of having the memory controller onboard the processor.

 

[DryFire]

with the really high latency DDR-2 does not really help the A64.

They are more likely to use DDR-3 when it becomes more available.

 

[cheeta05r]

Due to the high latency of DDR-II, this standard is unable to out-perform DDR-I clock for clock. The advantage of DDR-II is that it can be clocked at higher speeds than DDR-I, therefore compensating for its higher latency. Currently the fastest rated DDR-II modules are at 667MHz, even at this speed the performance benefits of DDR-II are nil or unsubstantial. The price premium of DDR-II is also a factor, why go to a memory standard that cost more and does not deliver substantial performance.

If you were wondering about DDR-II for Athlon 64s then, you were obviously possibly willing to pay the premium associated with DDR-II. In which case you could use the money you would have spent on DDR-II on getting an Athlon 64 FX or waiting and getting a motherboard with AGP/PCI locks allowing you to overclock your memory and reap the benefits of a low latency memory controller.

You can also look at Kentron QDR memory. They have not had success in the past because this memory required chipset makers to support it. Currently they are working on DIMMs that have the logic on board so that they are compatible with standard DDR-I or DDR-II. This ability to have the logic on the DIMM is similar to Intel’s Fully buffered DIMMs. Fully Buffered DIMMs would be great for AMD because it would allow AMD to keep a standard memory controller while supporting a multitude of different memory standards,

I have also read that AMD might skip DDR-II altogether and wait until DDR-III, I don’t recall were I read that though.

 

[revan]

I am not incredibly interested in DDR-II as of now, I was just interested in the tech of it all. DDR-III sounds fun though

 

[cheeta05r]

Thats cool, I'm still using a Athlon 2000+, 512MB DDR266, and an original ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon. I'm a little behind but I still like all of the technology. I'm hoping to get a laptop in the future. I would like to get a notebook with an Athlon 64 mobile 35watt processor, 2GB or more of ram, PCI-Express upgradable graphics (would like Quadro or other workstation class graphics chip), native External SATA support, Dolby Digital Headphone support, and the rest of goodies like Firewire 880, USB 2.0, posibly wireless USB. I'll be using it for CAD work so I would like it to be as powerful as possible while still being mobile.

 

[revan]

I need a lappy for school, but my main budget is definately for my desktop.